Swab



Jan. 4, 1927.

R. J. TURNER SWAB INVENTOR Russell J. 'Elmer ATTORNEY Flled Nov 9 filPatented Jan. 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUSSELL J. TURNER, 0F BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GUIBERSON COR-PORATION, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SWAB.

Application led INovember 9, 1925. Serial No. 67.747.

My invention relates to accessory devices for .oil well operation andparticularly to swabs.

One object of my invention is to provide a relatively sim le,inexpensive, and highly eiiicient swab or use in oil wells, that shallembody a minimum number of parts.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cup assembly for a swabcomprising a minimum number of individual members.

In racticing my invention, I provide a centra ipe upon which are mounteda plurality o? upwardly flaring cups of resilient material molded on abase ring, and within which are embedded a plurality of resilientmembers. Means are provided on the pipe for spacing a plurality of cupassemblies apart and for guiding the swab in a conduit when inoperation.

In the single sheet of drawings,

Figure 1 is a View, partially in side elevation and partially invertical section, of a device embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view therethrough, taken on the line II-IIof Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a base ring comprising a part of the deviceembodying my invention, and

Fig. 4 is a view in lateral section, taken on the line IV-IV of Fi 2.

Fig. 1 of the drawing il ustrates a art of an outer casing 11, such asis usua ly employed in oil wells, and having located therein a swabassembly 12. The swab 12 comprises an innerl pipe member 13 that has arelatively large portion of its lower part screw-threaded, as shown inFins. 1 and 2. The pipe member 13 is provided:` with a top member 14,that has screw-threaded engagement with the upper end of the pipe 13,and constitutes a bail to permit of operating the swab by moving it upand down in the casing 11, in a manner well known in the art. A shortlength of conduit 15 has screwthreaded engagement with the lower end ofthe pipe member 13, and is so formed, at its lower portion, as toconstitute a seat for a valve member 16.

A cup assemblv 18 comprises an upwardly flaring cup member 19, ofresilient material and preferably consisting ot' rubber or ot' a rubbercompound, together with some material to ensure the proper hardness andwearing qualities thereof. A base ring 21 con stitutes a part of the cupassembly, and has screw threads ou its inner surface 22 that permit ofmounting it on the central pipe member 13.p The ring member 21 isprovided with a plurality of laterally-extend'- ing, relatively narrowgrooves 23 that are located in spaced relation around the periphery ofthe ring member. The grooves 23 are deeper at the lower edge portion ofthe base ring 21 than at the upper edge of the base ring. The ringmember 21 is also provided with a peripherally extending groove 24intermediate its edges, and is further provided with a lower shoulderportion 25.

A plurality of resilient members 26, that are of substantially the formshown in Fig. 2. of the drawing, have their lower end portions locatedin the respective grooves 23. A part of the lower end portion of each ofthe members 26 is bent over at substantially a right angle, as shownmore particularly in Fig. 2 of the drawing. In building up the cupassembly the resilient members 26 are temporarily held in lace in thegrooves 23, until all of the resilient members have been placed in theroper operative ositions, after which a p urality of turns ci) wire 27are placed in the groove 24 in order to hold the resilient members 26firmly against the base ring 21. The bent over end portion hereinbeforedescribed effectively Vprevents any upward movement of the resilientmembers 26.

After the resilient members have been mounted on the base ring, it isplaced in a suitable mold and a quantity of a raw rubber lcompound isplaced in proper operative p0- sition in the mold, and is then subjectedto the usual curin process. The mold comprises properly ormed inner andouter ortions, so that the shape of the upwardly aring cup member 19will be substantially that shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the lowerportion thereof being molded around the upper surface of the base'ring,and aroun the outer peripheral surface thereof. The shape of theresilient members 26 is such that the upper portions thereof extend towithin a very small distance of the outer peripheral surtace of the cupmember 19, while the upper ends thereof extend iriwardly thereofsubstantially as shown in Fig'. 2 of the drawings.

In order to hold the cup assembly in a predetermined position on thecentral pipe member 13, I provide a locking ring 28, whose inner surfaceis screw-threaded to permit of threading it on the pipe 13, so that itsupper surface will enga e the lower surface of the base ring 21. he ring28 will also effectively prevent any downward movement of the resilientmembers 26, should they become loose on the base ring and tend to movedownwardly.A

A plurality of guiding and spacing members 29 are provided, andseverally comprise an annular portion 31 with a plurality ot' spacedintegral and radially extending portions 32. The general shape of themember 29 is that of a skeleton, when viewed in lateral section. I maylocate a spacing and uiding member 29 immediately below the aii 14, andthen locate a cup assembl v18 so that the upper shouldered surface o thebase ring 21 is in engagement with the lower end portion of the annularpart 31 of the spacing member.k A second member 29 is locatedimmediately below the lock nut 28 of the upper cup assembly, and asecond cup assembly 18 is located therebelow, the entire structure beingthat shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. While I have shown two cupassemblies only it is obvious that any desired number of such cupassemblies may be employed one above another, the length of the centralpipe member 13 being such as to permit of mountin thereon the desirednumber of cup assem lies and of spacing and guiding members.

The operation of the device is obvious from the description, when usedto clean out a well after the casing has been inserted therein. It isonly necessary to secure the bail of the swab to a.- rope or cable andto let it down to the desired depth in the casing. The assembly will beguided by the members 29 which are made so that their lateral ordiametral dimensions are somewhat less than the internal diameter of thecasing in which they are to operate. Should the cup members 19 meet withan small obstruction while being lowered t eir resilient character willpermit of easily passing such obstruction and then returning to theiroriginal shape. Upon raising the swab by means of the rope or cable acertain amount of fluid will be caught and retained by the resilientcups, and they will expand to some extent so that substantially all oratleast a great part ofthe fluid within the casing 11 that happens to belocated above the swab will be raised therewith. The operation oflowering the swab and of raising the same may be repeated as often asnecessary, until the casing has been cleaned as desired.

The device embodying my invention, and particularly the cup assembly,embodies a relatively small number of arts, and as the resilient membersare embedded in the rubber, they will be available to holdthe upwardlyHaring cup in proper operative position. The outer curved portions ofthe upper parts of the resilient members will tend to prevent anyfurther wear of thc outer surface ot' the cup assembly after the wearhas been suiiicient to remove the rubber outside of the resilientportions. As the resilient members 2G are relatively narrow and flatthey will soon Wear to a rounded outer surface atl that part where theycome in contact with the casing, so that a substantially water-tightjoint will be effected even after the cup member 19 has become somewhatworn. The resilient members 26 are substantially symmetrically locatedradially of the cup member 19, substantially equal amounts of resilientmaterial being on each side thereof, ensurin that the resilient membersshall be embe ded and held properly within the resilient material. Theresilient members will be effective until the entire cup has been worndown to such an extent as to make it unusable because of the wear on therubber.

The outer' diameter of the cup members 19 is substantially the same asthe diametral dimension of the members 32 on the ides 29, and hence noexcessive stresses can e placed on the cup members 19 durin operation ofthe swab by any obstruction that may be in the casing.

Various modifications may be made in the device embodying my inventionwithout departing from the spirit and scope thereof,

and I desire that all such modifications shall be included in theappended claims which are to be limited only by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:-

1. In a swab, a supporting member, a base ring immovable on saidsupport, a cup of flexible material moulded on the base ring` andindependent resilient stiiening members separate from the ring embeddedin said cup and engaging said ring at their lower ends.

2. In a swab, a supporting member, a flexible cup having a free lip atits upper end, means for securing the cup on the support, and aplurality of resilient members embed- Y ded in the cup, the upperends-of said members being curved inwardly at the to of the cup andhaving their lower ends ent inwardly, and a base member overhanging thelower bent ends of the resilient members.

3. In a swab, a cup assembly comprising a laterally grooved metal basering, a plurality of resilient members having end portion located in theres ective grooves and secured to the ring, an a cup of flexiblematerial within which the resilient members and a portion of said metalring are embedded.

4. In a swab, a cup assembly com rising a base ring` having a pluralityo lateral grooyes in its outer surface, a plurality of resilientmembers, each having a portion located in a groove and having an endportion thereof bent. over the end surface of said ring, means forsecuring said resilient members against Said rin and a cup of flexiblematerial within whic the resilient members and a portion 'of the ringare embedded.

5. Ina swab, an externally threadedpipe A a -base ring screwed thereonand having a plurality of lateral grooves in its outer surface, aplurality of resilient members, each having a ort-ion located in one ofsaid grooves an embodying means (zo-operating position on said pipe andfor precluding movement of saidresilient members in the other directionrelatively to said ring.

6. In a swab, a central ipe, a plm-slit of upwardly flaring cups ofexible materia on said pipe, and a combined spacing and guiding means onsaid pipe intermediate said eu s and spaced from said cups.

In a swab for a conduit, a centralA pipe, a plurality of upwardly ilarincups of ilexible materialen saidfpipe, aufs. member, of skeleton shapein cross-section, on said pipe for spacing said cups from one anotherand for guiding the swab when introduced into a conduit. y

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day ofNovember, 1925s RUSSELL J. TURNER.

cated in a groove and having an end portion thereof bent over the endsurface of said ring, means for securing said resilient members againstsaid rin and a cup of liexible material within whic the resilientmembers and a portion of the ring are embedded.

5. In a swab, an externally threaded pipe,r a Ybase ring screwed thereonand having a plurality of lateral grooves in its outer surface, aplurality of resilient members, each having a iortion located in one ofsaid grooves an embodying means co-operatin with said ring forpreventing movement o said resilient members in one direction relaftively to said ring, means for securin said resilient members againstsaid ring, a aring cup of flexible material embedding the resillentmembers and a portion of the ring, and a locking ring screwed on saidpipe for 20 holding said base ring in proper operative position on saidpipe and for precluding movement of saidresilient members in the otherdirection relatively to said ring.

6. In a swab, a central ipe, a pluralit of upwardly flaring cups ofexible materia on said pipe, and a combined spacing and guiding means onsaid pipe intermediate said cups and spaced from said cups.

In a swab for a conduit, a central pipe, a plurality of upwardly larincups of Bexible material on said pipe, an a member, of skeleton shape incross-section, on said pipe for spacing said cups from one another andfor guiding the swab when introduced into a conduit.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day ofNovember, 1925.

RUSSELL J. TURNER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,615,066,

granted January 4, 192'?.

t0 RUSSELL J. TURNER.

It is hereby certified that the assignee in the above mentioned patentwas: erroneously described and specified as Guiberson Corporation,whereas said Aassignes should have been described and specified as TheGuiberson Corporation, as shown bythe records of assignments in thisoffice; andv that the said Lety ters Patent should be read with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform in the Patent Office.

to the record of the case signeaand sealed this 22nd day of February`A.D. 1927.

Seal.

M. J. Moore,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,615, O66, granted January 4, 192'?.

to RUSSELL J. TURNER.

It is hereby certified that the assignee in the above mentioned patentwas erroneously described and specified as Guiberson Corporation,whereas said assignee should have been described and specified as TheGuiberson Corporation, as shown bythe records of assignments in thisoffice; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Office.

signecand sealed this 22nd day of February, A. D. i927.

M. J. Moore,

Seal. Acting Commissioner of Patents.

